Tesla Powerwall 3 Rebate now Extended Until June 30th
Tesla Powerwall 3 Rebate now Extended Until June 30th
Posted 1 Aug
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Whilst solar is rapidly adopted in New South Wales, solar energy storage is starting to increase as well. However, with news outlets constantly covering battery fire stories like 'lithium-ion battery fires are increasing', many are still very cautious about putting a battery on or inside their home.
We wanted to shine some light on what is actually happening with home batteries and how they are much safer than you think.
When a battery is listed on the CEC-approved list, and installed by a SAA-accredited installer, home battery storage is safe and poses minimal risk.
To gain a deeper understanding on whether home solar batteries are safe or if they're a fire risk. Let's analyse the Fire & Rescue’s Lithium-Ion battery incident report for 2022 – 2023, which shows us how much of a fire risk battery storage really is.
According to the Fire & Rescue's report, it shows us that 37 fires were caused by the entire category of batteries in 2022 & 2023.
However, once you categorise the different forms of battery storage types, only 3 fires were caused by residential battery energy storage systems (R-BESS) in 2023 and only 1 in 2022 throughout New South Wales.
This shows us that the total home battery system fires only accounted for 9.2% of lithium fires in 2022-23. Not as bad as it seems right?
On the news, we see constant headlines like ‘Lithium battery fires surging’, or ‘Lithium-ion batteries causing over 10,000 fires per year in Australia’, and other similar articles outlining the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.
To the average person, home batteries look like the main culprit for causing home fires, but this just isn't the case.
In the ‘Lithium-Ion Battery (LIB) incidents by device involved’ table, it shows us that micromobility accounted for 67 ignitions.
With only 4 ignitions over the course of 2 years, this would actually drop the R-BESS rank to the same ignition rate as personal care devices like electric toothbrushes etc. and a lower ignition rate than vacuum cleaners.
According to the report's numbers, micromobility (electric scooters, bikes etc.) had 22 times more ignitions than home solar batteries in 2023.
The ignitions originated from devices like E-bikes, E-scooters, hoverboards etc., with most of them catching fire whilst actively charging. Most of these incidents are from unknown E-bike and E-scooter brands, and 6 having evidence of tampering and modification.
Similar to your car, there are always going to be risks at play, but safety measures, in this case very tight safety measures, have been
implemented to minimise the risk to its absolute lowest. With the combinations of strong Australian standards, thorough manufacturer
testing and prevention, and quality installations, your home battery will be safe.
Here is some information and tips on how you can reduce the already low risk even more for the maximum risk prevention.
One of the most known battery failures is the LG RESU series which has been on compulsory recall since 2020. The battery brands recalled include LG, SolaX, Opal, Redback, Red Earth, Eguana, and VARTA storage systems.
Whilst there is a major recall, there have only been few that have actually caught fire.
The 3 identified battery storage systems in the report were the SolaX T63 (6.3kWh), PowerPlus ECO4840P (4kWh), and Zenaji Aeon A48-40 (1.93kWh). The 4th is unknown.
The SolaX and PowerPlus model batteries were both not on the CEC or Government battery approval list.
As of December 2017, there has been a new strict standard implemented by Standards Australia that outline the safety of lithium batteries in residential and commercial applications (AS IEC 62619).
The AS IEC 62619 standard involves a variety of extreme conditional testing. This includes dropping the battery from heights, damaging it, firing a nail into it, intentional overheating and overcharging, as well as purposely short-circuiting the terminals.
The purpose of this testing is to show that the battery can withstand these conditions without issues and hazardous results including fires, explosions, leaks, and other ruptures. More here.
Whilst there is a risk with any battery, including home batteries, the chance of a home battery catching fire is very small and is continually improving with advancements in technology.
Home battery storage continues to be a highly popular addition to homes across NSW as more of the community wanting to store their excess solar energy. We saw a higher number of home battery fires in 2023 compared to 2022, so does that mean there will be more fires in 2024 and 2025?
In 2023, Australia’s battery storage adoption increased from 43,000 units (in 2022), to 57,000 units installed and the number continuing to rise.
With only 3 home battery fires out of the 57,000 units installed, it indicates that statistically, the ignition rate is about 0.0053%. This obviously has many variables at play, but the point is the percentage is very low.
As more batteries are installed, there will be issues that arise, but with Australia's strong standards, continual improvements in battery technology and safety measures, we can be comforted that the risk will remain very low in lithium batteries.
Sungrow & BYD use a battery technology called LFP or LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) which is cobalt-free and has improved structural and thermal stability, which means that it is not prone to thermal runaway which is a common fear with other battery types.
The other advantages of LiFePO4 cells are that:
Home batteries with Lithium-Ion cells are still very safe, but for those wanting an even lower level of risk, LiFePO4 options may be for you. Note that lithium batteries mostly become a fire hazard when the cells have been pierced or damaged.
Whilst batteries endure a lot of safety testing and certification, there are a few additional things you can do to absolutely maximise your
risk protection.
Invest in a Quality Battery and Installer
When finding a solar battery installer, ensure the company has all the relevant qualifications like CEC/SAA accreditation and
manufacturer certification to install reputable battery storage.
Position the Battery Correctly
Your installer should choose a safe location that reduces obvious risk like cars driving in and out of garages with bollards, and installing the battery in a no-clutter zone to ensure airflow and adequate cooling.
Purchase Government and SAA/CEC Approved Battery Storage Products
Both the Government and CEC/SAA have a list of certified batteries that they approve of for installation. Using this list can help you in ordering the right battery that has industry certification.
Maintain your Battery
Batteries generally don’t need maintenance in addition to health check-ups every couple of years, ensuring elements like clear air flow, and visually checking for any wear or damage can go a long way.
Book a Solar and Battery Health Check every couple of years
Most solar and battery installers will offer solar health checks, or solar and battery health checks, where they professionally check your system and identify any issues.
Get a safety/evacuation plan in place
Lastly, you can develop an evacuation plan and ensure smoke alarms are working to triple check safety.
Certified Batteries We Install
Whilst there are numerous certified batteries from various companies, we only like to recommend a few batteries with strong reputations.
With 39.4% of Australia’s energy being produced with renewable energy, battery technology is going to be here for the long-run.
In 2023, over 56,000 new battery storage systems (15,000 more than 2022), were installed across Australia with very few safety problems with Australia’s strong battery standards in place.
So overall, we can see that battery storage for your home is actually much safer than is commonly portrayed, and as the years progress, Australia will only become more reliant on this evolving technology which results in great improvements in capacity, safety, recycling, and more.
Resources:
LifePo4
Batteries
Safety
Battery Options
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Rise to 40% Renewables
Key
Aspects of IEC 62619
Lithium
Battery Incidents
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